[Grammar] Plurals

Words
plurals [ˈplʊrəl] : a form of a word that is used to refer to more than one person or thing
consonant [ˈkɑːnsənənt] : a speech sound (such as [p], [d], or [s]) that is made by partly or completely stopping the flow of air breathed out from the mouth
fairy [ˈferi] : a creature that looks like a very small human being, has magic powers, and sometimes has wings
chase [ˈtʃeɪs] : the act of following and trying to catch a person, animal, etc.
thief [ˈθiːf] : a person who steals something
canary [kəˈneri] : a small usually yellow or green tropical bird that is often kept in a cage
loaf of bread, two loaves of bread [ˈloʊf] : an amount of bread that has been baked in a long, round, or square shape

Remember

1. [Remember] Add "s" to most nouns. Add "es" to nouns ending in o, x, s, sh or ch.
   • a dog > dogs, a girl [ˈgɚl] > girls
   • a potato > potatoes, a fox > foxes, a dress > a dresses
   • I've got a red toothbrush. > I've got two red toothbrushes.
   • Can I have a tomato? > Can I have five tomatoes?
   • I can see a girl in the garden. > I can see two girls in the garden.

2. [Remember] If nouns end in a consonant + "y", change "y" to "i" and add "es".
   • a baby > babies, the lady > the ladies, a dictionary > dictionaries
   • He likes dictionaries.
   • He doesn't believe in fairies.
   • I think fairy tales are for babies.

3. [Remember] The plurals of these nouns are different.
   • a person > two peaple, the child > children, my tooth > my teeth, a man > men, a woman > two women, my foot > my feet, a mouse > mice, a sheep > two sheep, the goose > the geese, a fist > ten fish
   • Min and Yoon are women.
   • Sheep live on farms. You get wool from them.
   • There are a lot of fish in the sea.
   • The children go to school.
   • Cats like chasing mice.

4. [Remember] If nouns end in "f" or "fe", change the "f" to "v" and add "es" or "s".
   • leaf > leaves, thief > thieves, knife > knives, wife > wives

Practice

• There are lots of stories about the house. Two old ladies live inside.
• You can often hear strange noises coming from the house because they've got a lot of animals.
• There are three geese and seventeen mice.
• Last year the canaries had four babies.
• The forest is full of animals, too. There are foxes and wolves.
• The wind moves the leaves in the trees and makes a scary noise.
• One of the ladies didn't have any teeth.
• She thought the children were thieves, so threw potatoes and tomatoes at them.
• I think the old ladies are witches.

• When you eat, you use forks, knives and spoons.
• They're bad people. They steal things. They're thieves.
• You get wool from these animals. They're sheep.
• I want two loaves of bread, please.
• Bus driveres drive buses.
• They're very big dogs. They're wolves.
• Young people are called children.
• Ladies have husbands, and men have wives.
• These men chase thieves. They're policemen.